Going Gluten-Free (Reluctantly) at the Little Flower Candy Company

While announcements of gluten-free desserts make up a surprisingly large percentage of the contents of our in-box every morning, the phenomenon has done little to stir Squid Ink's soul. Because while we realize the presence of gluten may be a problem for the people unable to tolerate it, gluten-free products tend to resemble vaguely sugary rocks. Almost everything worth contemplating about baked goods is concentrated in those magical protein strands.

So we were surprised the other day when a friend insisted that we try the new gluten-free cookies at Little Flower Candy Company, not because she suspected we suffered from wheat allergies - we were eating an herby goat-cheese muffin at the time - but because it was so good. And once we got past our prejudices, we had to admit: the cookie was crumbly and actually delicious, a dense, frieze of roasted pecans and chocolate chips bound with peanut butter and a bit of rice flour that is worth eating on its own terms. Pass this on to Gluten-Free Girl if you should happen to run into her.